1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mask cushion for a full face mask.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Masks are used in the area of respiration and sleep therapy for supplying a patient with respiratory gas by means of a flow or pressure source. The mask represents the interface between patient and appliance. It consists of a mask body with a cushion and is mostly fixed on the patient's head by means of a harness and an additional forehead support. The mask body is generally made of a relatively stiff plastic, and the cushion, which bears on the face of the patient, is made of a relatively thin, soft material, preferably a skin-compatible silicone, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or polyurethane, and it generally has a sealing lip in order to ensure a sufficient seal and to prevent leaks. These masks may be designed as nasal masks or full face masks (or also mouth and nose masks).
Conventional masks are usually available in the sizes S, M and L, so as to meet the greatest possible number of different configurations of the face and nose of the patients, and so as to ensure the greatest possible wearing comfort, the best possible fit, and a high degree of leak-tightness.
Known solutions of this kind mean that a large number of masks have to be offered in order to cover all different shapes and sizes of faces. “Universal masks” in a universal size are known from the area of nasal masks. Full face masks in only one size which are suitable for a large number of face shapes and sizes are not known. This is due to the fact that the variability in the distance between the nose and lower lip or chin is large. Moreover, noses of different sizes must also be considered.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to have available a mask cushion for full face masks which provides a high degree of adaptability to different sizes and different shapes of face parts, nose parts and chin parts of the patients. Patients can have different face shapes and sizes, with different nose shapes with high or low nose bridge areas, narrow or broad and long or short noses. The mouth and chin areas may likewise be formed very differently in size and shape, for which reason the mask cushion should be able to adapt to all possible face shapes and sizes, and to provide the desired fit and leak-tightness.